F12: Won't start X? (was Re: Preup to F12, won't boot)

[n2xssvv.g02gfr12930]

On 21/11/09 02:20, Oliver Ruebenacker wrote:
>      Hello,
> 
>   Now I have almost the same problem on another computer. Except that
> I did not use preupgrate but upgrade via netinstal. The only thing I
> know the computers have in common is that they are both Dell and have
> flat screns. One is a desktop, the other a laptop.
> 
>   After it says "Welcome to Fedora", it prints a number of messages
> most of which just say it's starting something. Then it stops and the
> screen flickers for a few seconds. The last message is entirely
> different on both computers, so I am assuming it is not relevant.
> 
>   I don't have access to the desktop computer, but the laptop actually
> did boot, and I found out I can press Alt-F2 and then log in in text
> mode. After I logged in, it says:
> 
>   Can not open display "default display"
> 
>   I am assuming its the same with the desktop computer, but can not verify.
> 
>   I found earlier threads describing a similar problem with F12 alpha
> and beta, but found no solution.
> 
>   Any advice?
> 
>      Take care
>      Oliver
> 
> On Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 9:36 AM, Oliver Ruebenacker <curoli at gmail.com> wrote:
>>     Hello,
>>
>> On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 6:09 PM, Gianluca Cecchi
>> <gianluca.cecchi at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On  Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:51:05 -0500  Oliver Ruebenacker wrote:
>>>>  If I edit away the "quiet" argument before booting, I see a few
>>>> lines instead. The last of those few lines are (hand-copied, may
>>>> contain typos):
>>>>
>>>> fb0: nouveaufb frame buffer device
>>>
>>> You ran preupgrade, and then reboot, but the actual upgrade phase has
>>> not happened yet, correct?
>>> Try to modify f12 upgrade kernel command line also adding at the end
>>> something like
>>>
>>> xdriver=vesa nomodeset
>>>
>>>
>>> and see if it goes better...
>>
>>  Thanks, I will try (that computer is at a location I am usually only
>> on Thursdays. Sicne next week is Thanksgiving, this means again in two
>> weeks).
>>
>>  What do you mean the upgrade has not happened yet? I am assuming it has.
>>
>>  I also figured out that if you remove "rhgb" and "quiet", there is
>> some text, and it goes as far as jexec starting avahi or something
>> like that, and then the screen flickers for a few seconds, and then it
>> stops and nothing more happens. Until I press the power button briefly
>> (pressing it longer would cut power) and then the system seems to shut
>> down orderly.
>>
>>  Before I get to the point where it stops, it says something like
>> welcome to Fedora, press "I" for interactive setup, but even if I hold
>> my finger on "i" (or shift and "i") all the time, it never becomes
>> interactive.
>>
>>     Take care
>>     Oliver
>>
>> --
>> Oliver Ruebenacker, Computational Cell Biologist
>> Systems Biology Linker at Virtual Cell (http://vcell.org/sybil)
>> Turning Knowledge Data into Models
>> Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling
>> http://www.oliver.curiousworld.org
>>
> 
> 
> 

Oliver,

	I found I had to set up the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file with the files,
video card driver, screen, and monitor settings to get it to work
correctly with the nouveau drivers. Unfortunately the proprietary nvidia
drivers for Fedora 12 are still in testing, (they are buggy, I'm using
them, avoiding the bugs), so, for nvidia, you need to disable the Livna
display configuration from trying to reset to them. See below for an
example of what you might need.

Section "Files"
	ModulePath   "/usr/lib64/xorg/modules"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
	Identifier   "Monitor0"
	VendorName   "Unknown"
	ModelName    "whatever"
	HorizSync    30.0 - 80.0
	VertRefresh  56.0 - 75.0
	Option	    "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Device0"
	Driver      "nouveau"
	VendorName  "NVIDIA Corporation"
	BoardName   "GeForce 9800 GT"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Device0"
	Monitor    "Monitor0"
	DefaultDepth     24
	Option	    "TwinView" "0"
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection


I hope this helps get you up and running

JB